Spray arrangement for applying liquid to a vehicle window

ABSTRACT

A spray arrangement for applying liquid to a window of a motor vehicle includes a spray nozzle having a nozzle body with one or more parts and a nozzle holder with one or more parts, a nozzle insert in the nozzle body through which a cleaning liquid can be sprayed alternately at different angles in one position of the nozzle insert, and an arrangement for adjusting the angle of the nozzle insert with respect to a nozzle installation plane.

This is a divisional of copending application Ser. No. 08/946,398 filedOct. 7, 1997.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to spray arrangements for applying liquid to awindow of a motor vehicle and more particularly, to spray nozzles havinga nozzle body and nozzle holder in which the nozzle body has a nozzleinsert through which a cleaning liquid can be sprayed alternately atdifferent angles.

Nozzle inserts of this type are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.3,973,558. The nozzle inserts described in that patent specification areelements fixed in position in a nozzle body without any provision forthe angle of the spray jet to be adjusted with respect to the window.

In such nozzle inserts, spraying of the cleaning liquid onto the windowalternately at different angles is effected by a specific fluid flowmechanism in the nozzle inserts. If the inflow or outflow conditions orthe fluid mechanics in the nozzle insert are changed, then the desiredoscillating movement of the cleaning liquid spray jet is lost.

Published European Patent Application No. 0 724 992 discloses a spraynozzle having a water channel containing an adjustable spherical nozzlepart. The spherical nozzle part makes it possible for the spraydirection of the nozzle to be aligned in an optimum fashion with respectto the wiping region of the window wiper after the nozzle body has beenmounted in the sheet metal of the automobile hood.

The arrangement of an adjustable spherical part in a nozzle insert, e.g.a fluidic element by which a cleaning liquid can be sprayed onto thewindow alternately at different angles, or in an outflow channeladjoining the nozzle insert is problematical since the flow mechanism inthe nozzle insert is affected by adjustment of the spherical part andthe desired oscillating effect of the spray jet flowing out of thenozzle insert is not achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sprayarrangement for applying liquid to a motor vehicle window whichovercomes disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray arrangement forapplying liquid to a motor vehicle window in which it is possible to setthe spray direction of a spray nozzle.

These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing aliquid spray nozzle having a nozzle insert which can be angularlyadjusted with respect to an installation plane. For this purpose anadjusting device may be arranged between the nozzle insert and nozzlebody, between two parts of the nozzle body, between the nozzle body or apart of the nozzle body and the nozzle holder or a part of the nozzleholder, or between the nozzle holder or a part of the nozzle holder andthe vehicle part in which the nozzle is mounted.

This makes it possible to set the spray direction of the spray nozzlewithout the inflow or outflow conditions or the fluid mechanics in thenozzle insert itself being changed. As a result, the desired floweffect, i.e. the oscillating movement of the spray jet back and forth,is maintained. The point of contact of the fan-like spray jet with thewindow may thus be adapted specifically to the requirements of thedriver.

Because of the narrow channel widths in such nozzle inserts, it isnecessary to heat heating the nozzle insert in order to prevent thecleaning liquid from freezing in the channels. Desirably, the heatingdevice is located as close as possible to the nozzle insert, in order toassure good heating while using the smallest possible amount of energy.

The heating device is arranged so that all the flow channels of thenozzle insert, and the inlets and outlets of those channels, do notfreeze and that the desired flow effect is thus also produced.

If the angle adjustment device is located between a nozzle insert and anozzle body, then the minimum distance between the heating device andthe nozzle insert is determined by the size of the adjustment device andby the necessary gap for the adjustment path of the nozzle insert. Thisdistance may be reduced further by fixing the nozzle insert and theheating device in the nozzle body, or in a part of the nozzle body.

In this case, the adjustment device is positioned at another part of thenozzle body, the nozzle holder, or the vehicle part containing thenozzle holder, or components thereof.

In order to keep the number of components small, at least a part of thenozzle holder is preferably formed in an integral manner with at least apart of the nozzle body. Such a spray nozzle is mounted, for example, inan aperture in a vehicle part, for example the hood or a body part or anadd-on part adjacent to the window.

The axis of rotation around which the nozzle insert can be adjusted withrespect to the vehicle part is preferably located in, or parallel to, alinear edge of an aperture in the vehicle part.

In order to prevent the angular position of the nozzle insert from beingchanged inadvertently, a securing device is provided between the movableparts or between a movable part and a fixed part of the arrangement.This device may be, for example, a self-locking adjustment device suchas a screw-connection, a toothed arrangement or an adjustment bodyhaving a spiral outer surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from areading of the following descriptions in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section showing a representativeembodiment of an adjustment device between a nozzle insert and a nozzlebody in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a nozzle insert with anoscillator;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a nozzle insert accordingU.S. Pat. No. 3,973,558;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a spray nozzle with atwo-part nozzle body; and

FIGS. 5a to 5d are similar views showing spray nozzles having a two-partnozzle holder.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the typical embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 a spray nozzle 1 has anozzle body 7 and a nozzle holder 2. The spray nozzle 1 is retained bythe nozzle holder 2 in an aperture 6 in a vehicle part 3. The nozzleholder 2 is fastened in the aperture 6 of the vehicle part 3 by latchingor clip elements which are conventional and therefore are not describedin any detail.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show nozzle inserts 4 by which a cleaning liquid canbe sprayed onto a window alternately at different angles. In the thesearrangements, the spray jet is made to oscillate back and forth here bythe flow itself.

The fluid mechanics of the nozzle insert 4 in FIG. 3 are described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,973,558. In this arrangement. if anything at all ischanged as regards the inflow or outflow conditions or the flowconditions in the nozzle itself, then the effect of the spray jetoscillating back and forth is not achieved.

In the nozzle insert 4 shown in FIG. 2, an oscillator 13 arranged in thenozzle insert 4 is caused to oscillate by changing forces exerted on theinsert by the inflow, which causes the spray jet to oscillate. With thisnozzle insert 4 it is also the case that, if the fluid mechanics in thenozzle insert 4 itself are changed, the oscillating movement of thespray jet is not always achieved.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle insert 4 has anadjustment device 8a in the nozzle body 7. Using the adjustment device8a, the orientation of nozzle insert 4 may be adjusted by an adjustmentangle a with respect to the nozzle body 7, and thus with respect to thevehicle part 3. Furthermore, in this arrangement a heating device 5 islocated as close as possible to the nozzle insert 4. The electric leadsto the heating device 5 and the water-supply channel for the nozzleinsert 4 are provided in fixed positions in the nozzle body 7.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has a spray nozzle 1 with the twonozzle-body parts 7a and 7b and an angular adjustment device 8b isprovided between the two nozzle-body parts 7a and 7b. The nozzle insert4, with the heating device 5, is fixed in the nozzle-body part 7a. Sincethe nozzle insert 4 no longer has to be moved in the nozzle-body part7a, gaps for an adjustment path are not required and the heating device5 is located closer to the nozzle insert 4. The adjustment device 8bbetween the two nozzle-body parts 7a and 7b can adjust the direction inwhich the cleaning liquid is sprayed through the nozzle insert 4 ontothe window.

The further embodiments shown in FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d have a spraynozzle 1 with a single-part nozzle body 7 and a heating device 5 andnozzle insert 4 fixedly mounted therein. In the embodiments of FIGS. 5aand 5b, the nozzle holder 2 has two parts 2a and 2b. The nozzle-holderpart 2a is mounted in a rotationally fixed, preferably integral, mannerwith respect to the nozzle body 7. An adjustment device is providedbetween the two nozzle-holder parts 2a and 2b having an axis of rotationlocated in, or parallel to, an edge 9 of the aperture 6, the edge beinglinear at least in certain sections. The nozzle body 7 with the nozzleinsert 4 is rotatable with the nozzle-holder part 2a by an adjustmentangle a in the fixed nozzle-holder part 2b.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5a, a toothed arrangement 10 is providedbetween the nozzle-holder parts 2a and 2b. The engagement of the toothedarrangement 10 can be released by pushing the nozzle-holder parts 2a and2b apart. The angle of the nozzleholder part 2a, with the nozzle body 7,may then be adjusted with respect to the vehicle part 3, in thenozzle-holder part 2b. After the adjustment of the nozzle-holder part2a, the teeth of the toothed arrangement 10 are again engaged to retainthe nozzle-holder part 2a with the nozzle body 7 in position. For thispurpose, the portion of one of the nozzle-holder parts 2a or 2b havingthe toothed arrangement 10 is expediently designed in a resilientlymovable manner.

A different securing arrangement is provided in the embodiment of FIG.5b. In this case, a slot is formed in at least one of the nozzle-holderparts 2a and 2b and a screw-connection 12 is arranged in the slot. Thescrew can be screwed either into a nut or directly into one of the twonozzle-holder parts 2a and 2b. Once the nozzle-holder parts 2a and 2bhave been angularly set with respect to each other, the nozzle-holderparts 2a and 2b are fixed in position by tightening the screw-connection12.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5c and 5d, the nozzle body 7 is mounted in arotationally fixed, preferably integral, manner in the nozzle holder 2.The adjustment of the nozzle body 7 and the nozzle holder 2 with respectto the vehicle part 3 can be effected either by a screw 11, as shown inFIG. 5c, or by an adjustment body 14, as shown in FIG. 5d, actingagainst the force of a retaining element which holds the nozzle body 7in the aperture 6.

When the screw 11 in FIG. 5c is turned, the nozzle body 7, with thenozzle holder 2, is angularly adjusted with respect to the vehicle part3 around an axis of rotation located in, or parallel to, the edge 9. Theself-locking action of the screw 11 against the nozzle body retainingelement causes the nozzle body and the nozzle holder to be retained inposition.

In FIG. 5d, an adjustment body 14 has mounted on the nozzle holder 2 aspiral peripheral surface 15. The adjustment body 14 engages the fixedvehicle part 3 by way of the spiral peripheral surface 15. Rotation ofthe adjustment body 14 changes the spacing of the axis of rotation ofthe adjustment body with respect to the vehicle part 3, and the nozzleholder 2, with the nozzle body 7, is thus angle-adjusted with respect tothe vehicle part 3. The contact pressure of the surface 15 on thevehicle part, resulting from the force exerted by the retaining elementof the nozzle holder 2 on the adjustment body 14, prevents saidadjustment body 14 from being rotated out of position.

Although the invention has been described herein with reference tospecific embodiments, many modifications and variations therein willreadily occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, all suchvariations and modifications are included within the intended scope ofthe invention.

We claim:
 1. A spray arrangement for applying liquid to a window of amotor vehicle comprising:a spray nozzle having a nozzle body and anozzle holder; a nozzle insert in the nozzle body through which acleaning liquid can be sprayed alternately at different angles in oneposition of the nozzle insert; and adjusting means for adjusting theangle of the nozzle insert with respect to a spray nozzle installationplane; wherein the nozzle insert can be angularly adjusted around atleast one axis with respect to a part of the nozzle body.
 2. A sprayarrangement for applying liquid to a window of a motor vehiclecomprising:a spray nozzle having a nozzle body and a nozzle holder; anozzle insert in the nozzle body through which a cleaning liquid can besprayed alternately at different angles in one position of the nozzleinsert; and adjusting means for adjusting the angle of the nozzle insertwith respect to a spray nozzle installation plane; wherein a part of thenozzle body is rotationally fixed with respect to a part of the nozzleholder.
 3. A spray arrangement for applying liquid to a window of amotor vehicle comprising:a spray nozzle having a nozzle body and anozzle holder; a nozzle insert in the nozzle body through which acleaning liquid can be sprayed alternately at different angles in oneposition of the nozzle insert; and adjusting means for adjusting theangle of the nozzle insert with respect to a spray nozzle installationplane; wherein a part of the nozzle holder can be angularly adjustedwith respect to a of the motor vehicle.
 4. A spray arrangement forapplying liquid to a window of a motor vehicle comprising:a spray nozzlehaving a nozzle body and a nozzle holder; a nozzle insert in the nozzlebody through which a cleaning liquid can be sprayed alternately atdifferent angles in one position of the nozzle insert; and adjustingmeans for adjusting the angle of the nozzle insert with respect to aspray nozzle installation plane; and securing means provided betweenspray nozzle parts which can be angularly adjusted with respect to eachother.
 5. A spray arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the securingmeans is a self-locking adjustment device.
 6. A spray arrangementaccording to claim 5 wherein the self-locking adjustment device is oneof (a) a screw-connection and (b) a toothed arrangement.
 7. A sprayarrangement according to claim 5 wherein the self-locking adjustmentdevice is a rotatable adjustment body having an axis of rotation whichextends essentially perpendicularly with respect to an adjustmentdirection of the spray nozzle, the adjustment body having a peripheralsurface of spiral configuration in a cross-section perpendicular to theaxis of rotation, the peripheral surface of the adjustment body engaginga fixed part so that the spray nozzle can be angularly adjusted withrespect to the fixed part by rotation of the adjustment body.